Learning from the transformative power of the AK47

Africa may be leaving the ‘Kalashnikov Era’ to enter a digital age, but mobiles have yet to match the gun’s impact.

The death last month of Mikhail Kalashnikov, the inventor of the AK47 assault rifle, prompted me to think about the role of transformative technology in shaping the world. When I first mentioned this to my colleagues, one or two quizzical editorial eyebrows were raised, and the inevitable question asked: “What has the AK47 got to do with development?” The short answer is: “Quite a lot, actually”.